Aden (South24) 

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Today, the President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) Aidrous Al-Zubaidi renewed his commitment to continue working tirelessly to achieve the independence of South Yemen and the return of its state to the status quo before Yemeni Unity in 1990.

This came in a written speech, on the 57th anniversary of South Yemen’s independence from Britain on November 30, 1967, three years after the outbreak of the October 14, 1963 revolution.

Al-Zubaidi said in the speech: “On this day, 57 years ago in our capital Aden, the sun of freedom and the first Southern national independence rose over the lands of our beloved homeland.”

“With pride, we remember those great sacrifices made by the revolutionaries [..], and we renew the pledge that we will continue [..] until the aspirations of our people are achieved in restoring their free, independent state with its historical borders that were recognized regionally and internationally before May 21, 1990," he added.

In the capital Aden, the STC organized a ceremony to celebrate the anniversary of independence on November 30.

The head of the Southern National Assembly, Ali Al-Kathiri, said during the ceremony: "Our people will not accept the return of forces that are trying to revive themselves and restore their influence in the South."

This statement by Al-Kathiri is likely a reference to Yemeni political parties, most notably the Islah Party, which recently formed the ’National Bloc of Political Parties and Factions‘ in Aden under the auspices of the US-based National Democratic Institute.

In Lahj Governorate, the STC organized another ceremony in Halmeen district to celebrate Independence Day.

STC Vice President Faraj Al-Bahsani called for investing in the anniversary to achieve more cohesion and rapprochement among Southerners, in order to achieve the goal of restoring the Southern state.

Other STC officials also delivered public speeches on the occasion, addressed to locals who are experiencing an unprecedented state of worsening of their situation due to the economic collapse, deterioration of services, and high prices.

Al-Bahsani is a member of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), along with Aidarous Al-Zubaidi and Abdulrahman Al-Muhrrammi, commander of the Southern Giants Forces. Al-Zubaidi appointed them as his deputies in the STC in May 2023.

Prominent Northern officials offered congratulations on the occasion of the Southern Independence Day.

PLC Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi described November 30 as an “immortal day.” He said on the X platform: “This national occasion comes at a time when our people and armed forces are waging a decisive battle against the projects of the Imamate, racism, and terrorism.”—in reference to Iran and the Houthis.

PLC member Tariq Saleh said: “The day of the evacuation of the colonizer on November 30 is a turning point in Arab history, in which the values of struggle triumphed in the South after their victory in the North with the fall of the Imamate.”

In another development, the arrest of a Houthi cell in Shabwa was reported. The STC-affiliated Shabwa Defense Forces said on Saturday that they arrested a Houthi cell on the outskirts of the city of Ataq, the capital of Shabwa Governorate, in an operation carried out after receiving intelligence information.

The forces said in a statement that the cell was planning to carry out actions targeting the security and stability of the governorate. The operation included besieging the cell's location, clashing with its members, and arresting them. The forces said that Houthi slogans opposing the Arab coalition and legitimate forces were found in their possession.

The statement also included a stern warning: "We strongly warn any party seeking to destabilize the governorate or undermine its security."

In recent months, the Southern forces have announced the arrest of similar cells linked to the Houthis in other Southern governorates, including Aden, Lahj, and Al-Dhalea.

Analysts believe that the escalation of Houthi activity in the South may be linked to an undeclared alliance with the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as indicated by recent reports, including the 2024 UN Security Council report by the Panel of Experts on Yemen.